netbios and computer browser service

  • Thread starter Thread starter RB
  • Start date Start date
R

RB

I have had some problems of late with XP Pro (both machines ) seeing each other
with Classic share setup (with pswds) .
But I have gotten it to work (with limitations ). I can now connect by doing
the \\RemoteComputerName\SharedFolderName in the explorer or by
clicking on previous access shortcuts of the above same.
But try to go thru the MS Windows Network I get as far as my WorkgroupName
and then an error msg stating
the list of servers for this Workgroup is not currently available.

And if I try net use I get
New connections will not be remembered.
Status Local Remote Network
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK \\DESKTOP\DESKTOPSHARE Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.
***********************************
And if I try net view I get
System error 6118 has occurred
The list of servers for this Workgroup is not currently available.
*************************************
But sometimes the computer browser service will work intermittantly, starting
late, and other times not functioning after it had previously on same boot.
What would cause this ?
-----
follow up with stuff from the next day
-----

Actually this morning it did not have to run long, it worked only after a few minutes.
My network service computer browser seems to be running sometimes and
sometimes not. When it is running it shows up correctly on the return from the neat
little browstat.exe program and when it isn't, well it doesn't.
The only thing I have found to be consistent about WinXP Pro's Classic file sharing
is that it is never consistent. For years I ran Simple File and Print sharing with no
problems, always consistent. But as soon as I tried to implement Classic file sharing
with passwords it became totally inconsistent and problematic.
Below are outputs when my workgroup access works and when it doesn't
-----
First scenario, is workgroup My Network Places does not work but
Explore run \\Desktop\DesktopShare does.
net use
gives me,
New connections will not be remembered.
Status Local Remote Network
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK \\DESKTOP\DESKTOPSHARE Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.
****************************************
And if I try net view I get
System error 6118 has occurred
The list of servers for this Workgroup is not currently available.
*************************************
browstat exe shows service is not currently running
*************************************
==================================================
Second scenario is when my workgroup My Network Places access does works
net use
gives me,
New connections will not be remembered.
Status Local Remote Network
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK \\DESKTOP\DESKTOPSHARE Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.
****************************************
net view
gives me,
Server Name Remark
---------------------------------------------------------------
\\RB-LAPTOP Gateway
\\DESKTOP
The command completed successfully.
*****************************************
returns from browstat.exe.........
browstat dn
gives me,
List of transports currently bound to the browser
1 \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{72F9CC0C-509F-45A0-85A7-1FE1CC4F6328}
********************************************8
browstat vw 1
gives me,
Remoting NetServerEnum to \\RB-LAPTOP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{72F9CC0C-509F-45A0-85A7-1FE1CC4F6328} with flags ffffffff
2 entries returned. 2 total. 16 milliseconds
\\RB-LAPTOP NT 05.01 (W,S,NT,PBR,BBR,MBR) Gateway
\\DESKTOP NT 05.01 (W,S,PQ,NT,PBR,MBR)
********************************************
and then
Absolutely amazing, After running about an hour this morning and doing nothing
except browsing the internet, my browser service stopped (after working good
a few minutes after booting)
**************************************
after browser stopped for no reason
browstat vw 1
gives me
Unable to get backup list for on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{72F9CC0C-509F-45A0-85A7-1FE1CC4F6328}:
The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available
**************************************
AND
browstat status
gives me,
Status for domain OUR_HOME on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{72F9CC0C-509F-45A0-85A7-1FE1CC4F6328}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master browser name is held by: DESKTOP
Master browser is running build 2600
*********(OUR_HOME is a workgroup on both machines)******
 
My network service computer browser seems to be running sometimes
and sometimes not. When it is running it shows up correctly on the
return from the neat little browstat.exe program and when it
isn't, well it doesn't.
Click to expand...

[Lots of good diagnostics deleted]

Assuming both computers are in the same Workgroup or Domain,
this is a textbook example of a firewall on one of your computers
killing the computer browsing on the entire subnet. The only detail
that you left out is the "Smb" error in the Event Viewer when
viewing the System log on one of your computers that will read
something like another computer claims to be the master browser and
an election is being forced... Note which other computer "claims" to
be the master browser because that is the machine with the firewall
that is preventing browsing. (I'm betting on the Laptop).

The detail that gives this away is the following from your post:
--------------------------
browstat vw 1 gives me,
Remoting NetServerEnum to \\RB-LAPTOP on transport\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_
{72F9CC0C-509F-45A0-85A7-1FE1CC4F6328} with...
\\RB-LAPTOP NT 05.01 (W,S,NT,PBR,BBR,MBR) Gateway
\\DESKTOP NT 05.01 (W,S,PQ,NT,PBR,MBR)
--------------------------

You should only have *one* master browser (MBR) on your subnet for a
given workgroup/domain. Your readout shows two of them. This
happens when one computer has a firewall that screens out
broadcasts. When a browser election occurs, it screens out all
replies and thinks it's the only machine on the subnet and assigns
itself as Master Browser. The machine that wins the election then
assigns itself the role of master browser and then you have two
master browsers on the subnet. After a short time, Master Browser
announcements from the firewalled computer will stop the real browse
master and you have the problems you describe.

If it's not working, you will probably find that you can issue a:
browstat el 1 OUR_HOME
command, wait 20 seconds, and it will work for a minute or two at
least.

To resolve this, stop or properly configure the firewall on the problem
machine. Alternatively, you can stop the "Computer Browser" service on
that machine (only one machine on the subnet needs to run "Computer
Browser" service). Look for "hidden" firewalls as well. A Cisco VPN
Client has a Stateful Firewall built in that is enabled even when the
VPN CLient isn't. If you have this client, start it up, click on
"Option" menu, and uncheck the "Stateful Firewall (Always on)".

HTH,
John
 
"John Wunderlich" wrote in message
Assuming both computers are in the same Workgroup or Domain,
this is a textbook example of a firewall on one of your computers
killing the computer browsing on the entire subnet.
Click to expand...

You were exactly right. I had uninstalled my bitdefender firewall in
one of my futal attempts (in the past week) to get my Classic file sharing
working since disabling the firewall did not seem to do any good. But the
uninstall left my wan miniport and my ndis driver broken. Anyhow to
make a long story short I had some problems with the uninstall and the lan still
did not work. So I reinstalled Bitdefender and then deleted and created
some user accts. And tried again and starting having this browser problem.
So then I went back into Bitdefenders setup and found the default reinstall
had the local lan set to Stealth (which does not allow local lan viewing) so
I set that to Remote which allows local lan pings etc but not Wan pings etc.
That fixed my browser issue for now. The only thing that is bugging me is
what I did that got me to where I am now, since before I uninstalled bitdefender
I had the Remote setting in place and I still was getting access denied msgs.
I believe the only thing I changed was creating some new user accts.
Anyhow thanks for the reply.
 
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